by James Huff
At that the Alphae sat back on his throne and went into the same state of trance-like slumber. The priest remained kneeling in front of him, his eyes also locked in a trance that was fixed upon the Alphae. An announcement was heard from above. “Welcome Inductees to the Zeado Memorial Dining Hall. The Nutritional Drone Squad are on their way to deliver your daily ration of supper. Each day at 6:00 you will receive your modified protein synthesis along with a glass of enriched substance D59. These will provide you with the finest nutrients to keep you fit and healthy during your stay here. Please be patient and eat slowly and remember…that all things done be unto the glory of the Alphae.”
The drones arrived a few moments later and dropped down silver trays in front of us. On the tray was a silver cup filled with some kind of milky white liquid and a rectangular block of yellowish mush that smelled kind of like stale corn. It was not very appetizing. In fact it was even worse than the food in the rest of Metropolis. I was beginning to see that the world outside of Institution was a completely different place than within. From the very first moment that I walked through those doors I felt as if I had walked into an alternate reality. First it was those strange men who spoke in odd riddles, then it was the experience with the purging burn, then the weird sorting ceremony, and now food that looked and tasted much worse than what I was used to in Metropolis…and that is saying something. Although the food tasted bland and awful, I forced it down since I had not eaten since before the Worship Service some 8 hours ago.
I didn’t even bother to look at the other students. I just ate and went to get up and walk toward the Alphae, just to see what would happen. A drone stopped me and subdued me, shackling me in plastic ties. “What the hell is this all about!?” I demanded. “Unruly student cannot approach the Alphae. Also the anomaly did not participate in the thanksgiving worship. Must proceed to Institution’s BMF branch for further analysis.” Just great. Everyone in the entire dining hall looked up at me as the drone literally dragged me out of the hall and down a narrow corridor. I was blindfolded and suddenly felt a sharp jolt on my neck and then…blackness.
I awoke suddenly and found myself in a small white room and restrained to a recliner with a powerful bright fluorescent light shining on my eyes. I squinted to try to make out my surroundings. I heard a door open and footsteps walk beside me. I could just barely make out the silhouette of a man in a white lab coat. “Good evening Mr. Crawling. My name is Mr. Ivaness. Mr. Thomas has transferred your case to me during your stay behind the walls of Institution. Do you have any questions for me?” Of course I had many. “Why was I brought here? What did I do? I was not nearly as defiant as I have been. I just don’t understand what the big deal is. I just got here and I am already being harassed. This is just as my…” I hesitated to mention my grandfather to this man. He hit a switch on the wall and the light dimmed enough to where I could make out his face. He was a tall man with medium length straight black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. I noticed that unlike Mr. Thomas and a few others, he wore no glasses and he had no circular object fastened to his head. He had deep blue eyes, like my grandfather’s except that they gave off a sterner glare.
“I can understand your frustration Mr. Crawling, but we here at the BMF are of the opinion that it is best to act sooner than later. We take any and all anomalous behavior very seriously in Institution. It is of vital importance that the other students in your caste are not influenced by your speech or actions. It would be best for you if you listen more and speak less. If you can do this you may just learn something and discover that your stay here can be a lot easier. We do not wish to make this any harder for you than it needs to be.”
I gave him a blank stare and he continued. “It looks like we already have you on a fairly high dosage of your booster shots. But currently you have yet to receive this dosage and have a few weeks before you are due. Is that correct?” I nodded and again stared at him blankly. “Marvelous. We cannot upgrade your protocol until all other measures have been taken. Our only objective today is to warn you by letting you in on a few secrets about Institution.” This peaked my interest and my blank expression shifted into one of genuine excitement. But that excitement was soon to dissipate. “As you know there are several Kingdoms of the Alphae. In fact there are an infinite amount; more than any human can fathom. However there are only certain Kingdoms that we here are allowed to witness before our final Initiation at our death.” I already knew where he was going with this and my stomach churned with anxiety. “Here in Institution you shall experience Kingdoms that are not released to the citizens of Metropolis and since the Alphae changes them with each new class, no class of Institution will see the same Kingdoms. Some Kingdoms are very beautiful and pleasant. Others are terrifying beyond imagining. If your behavior continues to express anomalies and your DDD manifests itself enough, since we cannot yet upgrade your protocol here at the BMF, we would be forced to give your guardianship over to the priests who will vote upon the most relevant form of punishment via one of these more, shall we say, frightful Kingdoms. Do you understand?” I swallowed hard with worry and nodded bleakly. “Good. Know that we do not want this for you Mr. Crawling. The truth of the matter is that your contentment behind the walls of Institution is entirely in your hands. Now we will give you an anesthetic and you will be transported to your dormitory. In the morning you will find new instructions. Good luck to you Mr. Crawling and remember, that all things done be unto the glory of the Alphae.” I felt a sharp sting on my neck and once more fell into the blackness of a deep slumber.
I found myself in a beautiful paradise. Although I could not see any of the Vaena elders, or my grandfather, I just knew that was where I was. I could smell the scent of thousands of flowers as they lay growing upon the meadow, being overshadowed by a massive willow tree. But up ahead in the distance I could see the Alphae, looming hundreds of feet into the sky. He was standing on one knee and had his palm outstretched, where I could see my parents standing there smiling at me. I was filled with disgust and as the anger grew within me all of the beautiful flowers began to wither along the path and the great willow tree began to crackle and die. Suddenly I was left alone in a barren desert wasteland.
Chapter 5:
I awoke to a burning sensation on my eyes. As my eyes adjusted I could see a semi-circular teal colored apparatus going over my eyes. I looked down and the bed I was lying on was normal enough. It was plain white with a white blanket that had a strange feel to it. It must have been some kind of strange nano-fabric. As my eyes began to adjust to the light I could see a pod-like arc going all the way around the bed. It, too, had the teal colored glint to it. I wondered just what all of this was for. But I was very groggy from the anesthesia and didn’t care. Suddenly I heard the high-pitched ringing of some kind of bell and the apparatus surrounding my bed began to retract back into the sides of the bed and down into the floor with a mechanical “zing.” I looked to my right and noticed that there was another boy sharing my room. I didn’t realize that we would have roommates in this place. He had messy blonde hair and green eyes. He got up right away, startled. “Oh man, I just had the craziest dream!” I looked over at him and half smiled, pretending to care. He went on to describe his dream and I cut him off. “So do you know what these machines over our beds are for?” He looked over at me. “Beats me, maybe they monitor our stages of sleep. Hey, I’m Brian…Brian Randolf. What’s your name?” I looked at him with that same half-smile. “It’s John. Look, I am not one to socialize a whole lot. I will be upfront with you, the BMF has…” I got cut off by an announcement coming from above. “Inductees please spend five minutes in the containment cleansing room and then dress for breakfast in the dining hall. Following food will be your daily morning ritual in the Eastern Temple. The ritual will begin promptly at 6:00 AM, to bring in the rising sun.”
Brian and I just looked at each other and I asked him where this cleansing room was and he pointed to the left and right just down a short hall to the right
of our beds. We each had our separate containment and cleansing room as well as a strange looking bathroom. I walked into the room and could see what I assumed to be the toilet. It was solid black with strange engravings on it and had an almost pyramid-like shape to it. It wasn’t anything new to me…this type of symbolism was replete throughout Metropolis. I thought it a bit extreme for a toilet, though. The sink looked normal enough, but the containment and cleansing room is what made me nervous. It looked like a smaller version of the radiation machine I had gone through at the start of Institution. I knew that if I did not spend my time in there, the medical service drones would detect the presence of toxins in my skin and possibly have me go through the BMF again, not to mention a more rigorous cleansing. I reluctantly stepped into the little booth-like room, after getting undressed, and pressed the red button on the glass. Instantly I felt the same burning sensation all over my skin, just less extreme than the first time. A strange cool steam came at me in all directions that soothed the burning of my skin. I exited after the timer went off and the door opened.
I was worried because my skin seemed to be peeling a bit. But it wasn’t like sunburn, which I had before as a young child. It was like an ashy dust was coming off my skin. I thought of asking my roommate about it but by the time I had gotten dressed he was already on his way to the dining hall. Since I was unconscious when I was brought to my dormitory, I had absolutely no clue where I was in this massive facility. But as soon as I turned the corner outside my room, there was Mr. Ivaness waiting for me. “Good morning Mr. Crawling. I have been asked to escort you to the dining hall. The BMF directors have decided that it would be best if we got to know each other so, if it is okay with you, I would like to escort you to breakfast each morning. I believe it would be a good way to start off the day, don’t you?” I smiled at him bleakly. “I guess so…” He beamed back at me and started walking briskly down the hall.
“I know how you feel Mr. Crawling. You are a very intelligent young man. You prefer the communion of adults. I was the same way at your age. You are not alone there.” I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated for too long and so Mr. Ivaness continued. “I understand that you were very close to your grandfather. Well, I will tell you this much. You can be assured that he is resting peacefully in one of the glorious Kingdoms of the Alphae.” Again I opened my mouth to speak, but was cut off. “What I told you yesterday evening about the Kingdoms you can see here is true. What if I told you that the Alphae, in his loving kindness, may just choose to give you a glimpse of your beloved grandfather in his Kingdom?” I admitted I wanted to see my grandfather again, but deep down I seriously questioned these kingdoms. They seemed like some kind of illusion on one hand, but at the same time they felt so real, and so enamored my senses that I was unable to disassociate from them and the mundane world around me. The doubt was there, but I knew that I was fighting against something very powerful, and as each day passed behind the walls of Institution I felt more and more powerless.
“I would love to see my grandfather again,” I spoke up. “But I cannot believe that the Alphae would actually allow him to go to the Kingdom where I know he belongs.” By this time the two of us had made it to the lift and began our descent. Surprisingly, Mr. Ivaness did not speak to me for the remainder of our little trip. Once we exited the lift and I headed down the hall and into the main entrance of the dining hall, he merely thanked me for my company and departed briskly down a side corridor. I walked lazily down the massive rows of tables and could see that the banner of the Silver caste hung high in the air above the Alphae’s throne. The banner bore the crest of the sixth caste, a silver crescent moon. The Alphae had not yet arrived and so the ornate throne remained empty for now. The priests were also nowhere in sight. But the dining hall was ever more rapidly filling with students.
I took a seat at the far end of the third table, as far away from the Alphae’s throne as possible. To my astonishment, the same frail blonde girl from before once again took a seat next to me. Even though I wanted to talk to her, I decided to wait until we were served. Soon an announcement was heard from above. “Good morning Inductees of the Silver caste. Welcome to your first official day behind the walls of Institution. Yesterday evening was all about processing, but today you will begin your routine of ritual, classes, and time with the Alphae. The Nutritional Drone Squad will be arriving shortly with your daily morning ration of protein synthesis and substance E47, a special liquid supplement to give you a quick burst of energy for this early morning hour. Please be patient while the Alphae and his priest prepare to arrive for the morning thanksgiving worship. And remember…that all things done be unto the glory of the Alphae.”
It was only a few moments later when the Alphae suddenly appeared on the throne, in the same hypnotic slumber that I saw him in at supper the evening before. Shortly thereafter, the priest that was sanctioned for the Silver caste came running up to him, wearing a gray robe with silver linings on the hood and sleeves. As soon as he reached the Alphae, he instantly prostrated before him and appeared to kiss his feet. It was then that the Alphae seemed to come out of his slumber and glinted in response. He stood and raised his scepter on high. “Silence!” With that booming command the entire dining hall fell into a quiet hush as everyone there, including me, was thrown into mesmeric prostration. “My dear inductees. Welcome once again to the walls of Institution. Today you will finally see what is only the beginning of a program unmatched by any in the entire history of your race. Never before in all of history have I been able to fashion a better program to institute all of my children into my loving embrace.”
I was really getting bored with his speeches. How was it that our class of Institution was any different than any prior class? I just didn’t get it. More than anything else I just wanted to get this over with. And worse yet, there was no room in my mind for my usual imaginations. I still missed Grandfather. What Mr. Ivaness said, despite my doubts, still sounded appealing to me. But I knew that before long my anger would be incited once again. Before the three years were up, I could easily pass through all six protocols of the BMF. And what about after that? Could I really be exiled? My mind was swimming with the worst sorts of thoughts. I just wanted to get the day over with. Maybe in my dreams things would be better. At least that’s what I thought at the time. I wondered about the machine above my bed. Could they have actually been using it to manipulate my dreams? I wouldn’t put it past them; however, I did not want to believe it because that would mean that even in sleep I could not escape this hell.
The Alphae finished his speech and this time, thankfully, no one went into convulsions of fervent worship. I was in the clear. I seriously did not want to ever pretend so much that I would stoop to that level. The drones hovered rapidly down the rows of tables, issuing each of us our morning ration. A silver tray was put before me. On it was a grayish yellow block of some kind of synthetic protein mixture. I touched it and it felt a little slimy but kind of hard and rubbery. The drink that came with it was some kind of thick orange liquid that smelled like it had been made in a lab somewhere. Reluctantly I ate what was before me; even what little flavor it had tasted stale and artificial. The blonde girl next to me was eating with the same reluctance. Finally I decided to chime in. “The food here is pretty awful isn’t it? I mean, I always thought the food in the rest of Metropolis was bad enough. With the Alphae often showing us great feasts in his Kingdoms you would think he would deliver on his promises. You ever wonder about that?”
The girl continued to eat, not even looking up at me. I tried to mask a sigh. She seemed to take no notice of it and finished her breakfast and then stared off dreamily down the end of the dining hall. Another announcement was heard above. “Inductees please take the lift to sub-level 17 to meet with the other castes in the Eastern Temple for morning ritual. The priest of your caste will escort you to the location.” Everyone in the hall seemed to get up at once and march in a swarm behind the priest.
As usual when facing
this type of situation, I lingered behind until the crowd dispersed a little. I noticed that the blonde girl was also waiting. But before I could try to strike up another conversation with her, we both found ourselves being prodded by a couple of drones. As we exited the dining hall and entered into the common room, the priest turned to face us and struck his rod to the floor, calling for silence. “Silver inductees, we will be marching in an orderly fashion to the lifts down the hall momentarily. There are twelve lifts large enough to accommodate groups of you so that you can join the other castes for morning ritual. In the mean time, this will be your common room. Don’t get comfortable, because you will not have much time to spend here. Now we must go. Boys to the right, girls to the left. Come forward now, we don’t have much time.”
Before I could even get a feel for my surroundings, we were ushered down a long wide hall and into a slightly smaller room with a series of the most enormous lifts I had ever seen in all of Metropolis. Knowing that there were not many surface floors to the entire complex of Institution, I knew we would be traveling underground. It made me wonder that if so much of Institution was underground, could there be underground facilities beneath the city of Metropolis? I knew I was probably one of the few students to think such things. I was ushered into lift number 5 and even though the lift itself was huge, there were so many inductees in my caste that it was very cramped once we all piled in there. Plus I was made even more uncomfortable by the hurried nature of the priest. We began our descent and I noticed that the ride was much smoother than other lifts I had grown accustomed to. In a matter of seconds we reached sub-level 17, where the Eastern Temple was found.